Unreturned Love
by maverick9871
Summary: After Asuma funeral Kurenia finds a book that reveals how several woman changed the life of one individual


I dont own Naruto

Kurenai sighed as she walked back into her apartment. She had just left the funeral for her fiance Asuma. She walked into the kitchen to get some water when she notice something unusual in her apartment. She walked to the eating table and picked up the item. It was a book and it was titled Unreturned Love

Kurenai open the cover and read what someone had wrote.

_Kurenai, _

_Years ago you saved me from my darkness and I was never able to repay you. I have lived a life of darkness but you along with some others gave me something I never knew until then and haved kept safe in my heart. Unreturned Love. I wrote this book and it is the only copy in existance so that should my mission fail someone will know that I existed. Inside are the stories of the woman that saved me. Each in a different way and each special to me. You are one of these women and I wanted you to know I will finish what was started so that when it is over no one will have to face my darkness and also no one will ever suffer because of the likes of me. _

_Thank you and most likely _

_Goodbye._

Kurenai took the next few hours reading the book and after finishing it sat quitely thinking of it. She found herself in the book and also knows now who wrote it. She never assumed that that persons life was like that and she was able to figure out who the other women were. Some suprised her and others she could believe. She looked outside and then at the clock and it was 11 pm. Tomorrow she would have to do something about this.

The next day when she got up she went to the Hokages office and finally got an appointment to see Tsunade.

Tsunade looked up from her desk and said "Kurenai, how are you doing. Is everthing ok now."

Kurenai smiled and sat down and said "I was depressed yesterday until I got home and found a present someone left me. It was a book and it suprised me with what was inside. I found the event in the book I was a part of and I know who wrote it and I think you should read it along with these others." holding a list of people.

Tsunade looked at the list and raised and eyebrow and asked "Whats so important about this book Kurenai and who is it."

Kurenai pulled out the book and found her markers she put figuring out who was who and opened it to a section and handed it to Tsunade.

Tsunade looked at it and began reading

**I first met this woman when I was on an important mission. At first I thought that she was just a little older then me but I learned she was not. I thought that age could be a sin to mess with but the events that happened that night changed my view forever. I was on the brink of death. I dont know how much longer I would have lasted had she not saved me. At one point I know my heart gave out. She refused to let me die and in that moment she threw caution to the wind and began beating on my chest to get my heart to beat agian. The first thing that popped in my head when I woke up I thought I had died and went to heaven. I said "please dont cry angel. I am in a better place now."**

**To my suprise when she looked up at me it was not the face of an angel or at least not one in heaven but one that came to earth. She looked into my eyes and I felt something stir in me that had not been felt in a while. At first it was alien but then I knew what it was. Love. The woman who was on my chest loved me. She was crying thinking I was dead. Slowly our faces became closer and soon we kissed. I knew that this would only be a one time thing. The love she showed me in those moments was something I could never dream to compare to anything else but what I had come to call Unreturned love. We kissed and the kiss became passionate. I was unwanted by most of the world so I knew no one would check on me. She had felt the loneliness of the world also. I knowed all about her story. It hurt me knowing I could not do anything for her about that but for this one moment we shared a hapiness that I will remember until I die. It was then I learned that a woman can be like a fine wine. With age it becomes finer and pure. She will never know what that day did for me but it was the day I probably would have ended if she had not been there. Its Ironic that a woman comes into my life right at my darkest hour.**

Tsunade blinked and thought for a moment. She looked at Kurenai and said "Are all of these ladies in here."

Kurenai said "I believe so. I read it yesterday and based on what I know of this person it was a puzzle I put together from pieces. I think that each of them should know the truth. Incase what that person wrote in the front comes to pass."

Tsunade opened to the cover and read and sighed before closing her eyes and signalled for an ABNU to get those woman. After the ABNU left Tsunade asked "Where are you at in this." handind the book back to Kurenai.

Kurenai blushed and turned to the page and handed it back to Tsunade who read

**I first met her when I was returning from a personal mission to visit a grave to clear my heads of some troubling times. I was at least 2 days away from my home when I heard the sound of battle. I came across the scene of 3 dead and 2 men fighting agianst her. By the way the guys were acting it was no problem to figure out what would happen if they won. I prepared to come in and help her when a man jumped out of the bushes and hit her over the head with a club. I jumped down and quickly took the 3 men out. I picked her up and moved her about 3 miles away quickly by a river. I set her down and first checked her head and saw she was just out with a minor head injury. We are trained to ignore those when we young. I notice that her cloths were covered in blood and she had several wounds. I knew she would kill me later for it but I removed her cloths and then started to treat her wounds. I pulled out my sleeping bag and put her in it while I washed the blood out of her cloths. I had caught some fish to eat before I did that and made camp. I set up traps around the area and then stood gaurd.**

**I waited for what seemed like hours. I put some fish in a package so she could eat when she woke up and then I made a bed out of leaves to lay on beside the fire. I was just about asleep when she stirred and was delusional. She thought I was my father who she had a childhood crush on from what she told me. I had known longer then most knew about my burden and my family. She finally came out of her delusion and regained the elegance I had come to know from her. She question me about what happened and tried to leave but the wounds to her back would not let her. I offered to heal her and at first she refused. Later I ignored her request and did it anyways. I never liked to see people in pain so after that she sat in my bag and I laid on my earth bed. Her clothes would be several hours before drying. I slowly fell asleep and then felt a weight on my shoulder.**

**I awoke and found her looking at me trying to judge my soul as some would say. She saw the emotions fly through my eyes. To understand the emotions you would have to know why I went to the grave in the first place. It was the emotion of eternal loneliness. The woman who laid on my shoulder smiled one of the most beautiful smiles I could ever hope to see and she said innocence is a item that is often lost in this world. Sometimes for stuppid things and others for noble reasons. Your innocence was lost the day you were born however mine has stayed intact because of you. I would like to give you my innocence so that you may have what can never be taken away again.**

**When we returned to our village that day not as lovers, not as allies but companions, both leaving the eternal loneliness behind forever and each gaining a little innocence.**

Tsunade blinked and looked at Kurenai and said "Did you and him ever get together agian."

Kurenai said "No and no one ever knew until now but I feel that with what is wrote in there it should be known by someone else."

Tsunade nods and the door open and 3 woman walk in and Anko asked "What was so important that you had to interupt my Dango time."

Kurenai snickered and said "Last night when I got home I found a book that someone wrote for me to read. I am in this book as is everyone of you from what I can tell. I wanted you each to read it incase what the person wrote in the dedication happens you will at least know the person went away happy."

Sakura asked "Who is this person and what did they write about us."

Kurenai said "You have to figure that one out yourselfs."

Tsunade said "Kurenai and I are both in this book and I would like to read to you what other things are in it and if you want you can read ours later so Im going to start reading. You are not to say who the person is that you are with because I want you each to realise who it is on your own. Everyone understand."

Anko said "But my dango."

Tsunade handed the book to Kurenai and said "Go to Anko section first."

Kurenai turned to it and handed the book back and tsunade read to them

**The burden of sin is carried by many but when you carry the sins of another you learn that sometimes your own are not as bad. The woman I met that day still reminds me of why I cherrish what friends I have. She was sitting on a fence alone looking into the woods. I had decided to return to the place I had my first defeat at the hands of an enemy and that was where I met her. I looked for a way to get in thinking I should not let her see me when I heard her speak. I thought she was talking to me but I realise she was talking to the herself.**

**I was frozen in place as I listened to her talk about the sin she must carry for an honest mistake. It was not a sin she would wish on anyone but one she had to carry alone. Not because she wanted to but because no one would share it. Her words reminded me of my sin. The one I alone was chosen to carry. It was while I was listening to her that I realised that her life was just as bad as mine was, torn into pieces by the acts of another. Hated and despised for being alive. **

**Somehow she was so focused on her thoughts that she failed to notice my arrival. Infact she never notice me until I wrapped my arms around her and held her in a hug. I told her I understood the pain and that I would carry her burden with her if she wished. She never looked at me though she said I could never carry a burden like hers. **

**She then turned and looked at me and I did something that neither of us expected or ever understood why. I placed my hand on the source of her burden and sent my chakra into it. I found that her burden was just as bad as mine and would someday be the death of us both. I decided that she should have a different fate then that so I took her burden and replaced it with a piece of my burden. The two burdens fought each other and I looked into her eyes and saw that she was in shock. I started to stop but she held my hand in place and said if I wish to share her burden then she should share mine as well. **

**A few days later I learned that she faced the one who gave her the burden she carried and that because of the fact that she carried mine and hers and I carried both as well that the one who burden she carried could no longer torcher her with the pain of it. I also learned that when I faced my burden it to had lost some of its ability to torcher me. **

**When we met agian after the day we learned that neither of our burdens were as heavy as they once were we vowed to carry those burdens till the end of our days not as the sins the world saw us as but the friends we became becuase of them.**

Tsunade finished and looked at Anko who had set down and said "Can I see the inscription you mentioned earlier."

Tsunade gave her the book and she looked at the inscription and said "You will forever exist, to me at least. As long as I live a piece of you will also." as she handed the book back to Tsunade.

Kurenai smiled and said "Now you know why I wanted you to read it huh."

Anko asked "How can..." she was at a loss of words and just stared out at the village as a single tear fell down her cheek praying her friend would return.

Ino asked "So who is it Anko."

Tsunade said "Thanks for volunteering Ino." and read after getting Kurenai to turn to the right section.

**I learned one time a woman can be like a fine wine but the lady I am thinking of now also taught me the lesson that a woman can also be a rose. Gentle and carring and pleasent on the eyes and deadly should you mess with her thorns.**

**I met her when I was away from my home for a long time. I had visited a town several days journey away from my home to resupply when I came upon her. She was on a mission I could tell because she would never wear what she had on that day. I could also tell that she was scared because of the type of mission it was. I decided that she needed some help that day with her mission but I would never have guessed that by the time it was over she would have helped me more then she ever knew.**

**I went to a local store and got an outfit that would make me able to be on the mission with her and after changing and dying my hair I walked up to her and said hi. Since we had not seen each other in so long she never realised it was me. I talked to her and at first she was nervous about me because I was a stranger. I told her I knew what she was there for and I told her that she was to tense. Anyone in my profession I told her would have no trouble handling these kind of situations and if she wished to survive she needed to listen to my words. I explained the way to act and told her how to play her personality into it to make it easier for her. She asked me how I could know so much about her personality and I told her that when shes been in the profession as long as I have then you can spot it a mile away and knew someone like them.**

**As the day went on I got her into the role she needed to be for the mission though I played it off as a way of my profession. She thanked me for the advice and I was about to leave when her target came up. I took one look at the man and knew that she was in way over her head. The man before her was easily as good as I was or maybe better. I could not let her go through with this one, even if she had her team she would have been dead before the sun rose so I played my profession and took her spot on the mission after telling her thats the perks of the job, going after the big marks.**

**  
She tried to protest but I stopped her by telling her that her shadow was to fat for a man of this size and she should mind her own business or find a lower mark. I knew she would stop when I made references to her teammates and her skills so she accepted my decision.**

**I took the mark but after telling him I changed my mind he used his skills on me. My mind was shattered by his ability and he left me for dead. I was stuck in an endless nightmare at that point and she came and restored my mind but in doing so she learned alot of me that noone knew. She had learned of my darkest desire that was ready to seduce me and she swayed me away from it before it was to late. When it was over she told me if I ever needed anyone to help sort out my mind or feelings she would be there for me. I know that if she had not saved me like she had my desire would have possessed me and I would not have uncovered truths that I had not known. Once I learned the truths my desire was destroyed forever and replaced with a kind of peace I had only experienced a few times in my life. True happiness.**

Ino said "I know who it is now. If he had not saved me I would have died from Itachi sharingan."

Tsunade said "When was this Ino. I dont remember you getting a mission from me to interact with Itachi."

Ino said "You were gone to Suna for some negotiation. It was suppose to be an information gathering mission on a possible slave ring. I did not know it was Itachi at the time until we had already met the client and by then I was already on the scene as it is described so I could not back out. Turned out the client was a member of Atasuki and they wanted information on Konoha. If I had not been saved I would have been dead and they would have had thier information. Luckily all Itachi got from him was alot of painful memories."

Tsunade sighed and said "Well that just leaves you Sakura."

Sakura said "Im ready."

Tsunade read

**For the longest time I thought that pain was my constant companion. I was ebraced by it daily. I met her one day when I was still a child. At first I was going to ignore her since my belief was if you were in pain it was normal. However for some reason when I looked at her I realised that this belief was wrong. She had been crying at first until a girl came up to her and comforted her. I listened as she explained why she was crying and I felt a connection to her. She was treated wrongly because her beauty outshined others and they were jelous of her. At least that what I thought. The next day I was across town and was crying myself because I had another run in with those who hated me when she arrived and offered to help me. I knew I would be alright later because I alway am but the fact that she was compassionate enough to help me proved to me that pain was not normal. As time went by I tried to get to know her better and at first it failed however because of her speaking that day anytime I saw a smile on her face it reminded me that I should not live on pain. As time went and we got older we became close. I could never forget that because of her story that day I realised that pain was not what was normal. Compassion was.**

**The reason I say this is because after we got close her compassion was the guiding line that was my source of strength. When I was consumed by darkness her smile was the lighthouse in the darkness I was in. I followed the beacon of hope and found myself surrounded by people I consider important to me. Even after she learned of my burden her compassion still shown brightly lighting even more of my darkness. I know that I will never be completely free of my pain but because of her and her compassion I endured challanges that would have killed a lesser man. It was for this reason I vowed to do everything in my power to make sure she smiled. Even if it causes me pain to make her smile I can have compassion for her as long as shes lights my darkness. Some of those I care for say I would die for her. The fact is yes I would because the wasy I see it, my life belongs to her because she saved me. No longer do I fear pain. I ignore it. Instead I live my life the best I can because I know if she asked me I would give it up without hesitation and yet she never does ask it of me because she lets me live because of her compassion.**

Sakura wipped tears away from her eyes as did the other woman in the room when Naruto walked into the office. He looked like hell had caught him, blood and wounds were all over him including one above the heart. In his hand was a bag that was dripping blood and beside him was his wayward teammate Sasuke being carried by a Kagebunshin. He smiled and looked at the woman in the room and said "my promise of a lifetime if fullfilled. Atasuki is destroyed and all the tailed beast but Kyuubi have been forever sent into another world because of the sharingan. Now I can know that noone else will have a life like me..." and he started to fall forward toward the floor and the Kagebunshin went up in smoke as all the ladies ran toward him.

Tsunade started to try and heal him but the wounds would not heal. Something was stopping her chakra. Sakura had also tried to heal him but it was no use. He opened his eyes slowly and said "I want to tell you all thank you. Without you I would never have gotten this far. I can see him coming. Hes not alone. My father and mother have come to take me hhooooommmmmeeee." as his eyes gloss over and a single tear rolls down his cheek.

Each of the woman scream out for the lose of someone they cared for.

Sasuke looks at them and he woke up and said "He asked me to tell you that when he was gone that it wont be forever. He said he is just going ahead to make sure that you place is set as a guest at his home. He said he will have Asuma there along with Dan and Nawaki, and any of our friends that arrive before you because you are all his guest of honor. The ones who saved him from darkness and into the light. Its only fair that he does the same for you all in the end." in a sad tone as his eyes changed from a 3 comma sharringan to the final one.

When Naruto funeral was held, Over 20,000 people came from different nations around the elemental nations shocking the people of Konoha. His funeral lasted nearly 2 weeks long as people came forward and spoke of how he changed their lifes. As more and more spoke the people of Konoha realised the errs of thier ways. Several nations wanted the right to have him burried in thier lands saying that he was a hero to them all.

It was decided however by all that he would be creamated and that his ashes would be thrown off the Hokage monument. It was also decided that Naruto would be recognised as the Rokadiame Hokage even though he was dead and he was also named the Shodaime Hero, the first hero of all nations. His face was added to the mountian but in 20 different countries his face had also been carved on a mountian and a statue was placed on each one with an inscription engraved in it. It said

**WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING PRECIOUS TO YOU TO PROTECT YOU WILL FIND TRUE STRENGTH, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF, AND LIVE YOUR LIFE THE BEST YOU CAN.**


End file.
